Girls to be tried as adults in Slender Man attack

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A Wisconsin state appeals court has ruled that two girls accused of trying to kill their classmate in an attempt to please the fictional horror character Slender Man should be tried as adults.

Investigators say the girls, who were 12 at the time of the attack in 2014, plotted for months before luring their classmate into some woods after a birthday sleepover and repeatedly stabbing her.

The victim, who was also 12, was found along a road, bleeding from 19 stab wounds that nearly killed her.

The girls have been charged with attempted first-degree intentional homicide and if convicted could go to prison for up to 65 years. As juveniles, they could be incarcerated for up to three years then supervised until age 18.

Experts testified that one of the girls has schizophrenia and an oppositional defiant disorder that requires long-term mental health treatment. The other girl has been diagnosed with a delusional disorder and a condition known as M, which a psychologist testified made her vulnerable to believing in Slender Man.

In a pair of rulings, the 2nd District Appeals court affirmed a lower court’s determination that it was reasonable to try both girls as adults.

The girls told investigators they hoped that killing her would please Slender Man, a demon-like character they had read about in online horror stories.